"Preparation of "China West Forum 2001"


Cheng Andong

Director of Preparatory Committee for China West Forum 2001
Provincial Governor of Shaan Xi Province

(August 8, 2001 Beijing)


"China West Forum 2001" will be held from September 4 to 6, 2001 in Xi'an, Shaan Xi. This year's forum is sponsored by the Office of West Region Development of the State Council of China, the State Development Planning Commission, the State Economic and Trade Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, Information Office of the State Council, and Shaan Xi Provincial Government; it is to be hosted by Shaan Xi Provincial Government and to be joined by west region governments from eleven other provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, and Xinjiang Military Corps of Production and Construction.

The topic of this forum is "Investment Environment and Opening to the Outside World in China's Western Regions". Subtopics include: infrastructure, environment and fund raising; soft investment environment and policy innovation; market environment changes and countermeasures after China's entrance into the WTO; and experiences of foreign investors in China. The 12 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, and Xinjiang Military Corps of Production and Construction will make representations on investment conditions in China's west region. Achievements of major research projects on development of China's west region will also be presented.

The forum will invite representatives from certain Top 500 Companies in the World, famous businessmen from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and foreign countries, high-level management people from foreign companies investing in China, diplomatic envoys to China, representatives of international organizations in China, managers of important Chinese companies, famous Chinese scholars and high-ranking officials from both the central and provincial governments.

Leaders from the Chinese government will attend the forum and give important speeches. Officials from related offices of the State Council will elaborate on the policy concerning the west region development in China, the blue print of the development for the future, and the measures to be taken. Leading officials from the 12 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, and Xinjiang Military Corps of Production and Construction will talk about investment environment and specific policies for attracting foreign investment in their respective areas. Leading officials from Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong, Guangdong, and cities of Shenzhen, Suzhou, and Dongguan will introduce their own experiences and policies in improving the investment environment. As part of the program of the forum, Foreign Enterprises' Further Investment Talk in China sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, and Xi'an Investment and Trade Talk sponsored by Xian Municipality, will be convened on the morning of September 4, 2001. This forum welcomes journalists from both home and abroad.

Making "China West Forum 2001" a success will have important implications. This year's forum is to be held after having gained a good beginning of the west region development policy. Therefore it can play a positive role in making the world understand the Chinese government's policy of the west region development, in deepening the understanding of the policy both in China and around the world, in studying and solving new issues and problems in the process of west region development, and especially in improving the investment environment, further opening the market of western China, and solidly and efficiently implementing the policy of the west region development. According to instructions of leading officials from the State Council on improving China West Region Forum every year, this year's forum will learn from experiences and methods of "2000 China West Region Forum"; it will be carefully organized, thoughtfully prepared and designed uniquely and effectively.

At present, various preparations for the forum are proceeding smoothly. Active responses to the invitations have been received from entrepreneurs from certain Top 500 World Companies, famous people from abroad, from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and from high-level management people from foreign companies investing in China. Many have expressed their willingness to attend the forum; some wish to give speeches at the forum. Some of the foreign envoys to China and of representatives of international organizations in China have expressed a strong interest in attending the forum. The Chinese government is also in the process of selecting delegates to the forum and finalizing topics of the presentations. Provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in the west region have already begun preparing materials about the investment environment in their region to be distributed during the forum. Executives from some of China's big companies and scholars have also shown great enthusiasms to the forum. Preparations for various programs of the forum led by Shaan Xi provincial government are proceeding well as planned.

Xi'an is the central city in Northwest China; it plays a crucial role in implementing the grand strategy of opening up the west region. Since the beginning of the policy of reform and opening to the outside world and especially in recent years, the economy of Xi'an has achieved great progress, its total economic power, competitiveness, level of social development and urban construction have improved significantly, and its international convention center is well equipped with facilities, functions, and advanced technology, both the hardware and software, for hosting large international activities. Recently, Xi'an has successfully held five international conferences, including the Conference for International Investment and Trade; Xi'an thus has rich experience in hosting large international conferences and activities and is fully prepared to make this China West Region Forum a great success.

The plenary sessions and sub sessions of the Forum are held at Ian International Convention Center. "China West Forum 2001" has set up its web site on the Internet, welcome to visit www.chinawest.com.cn.